Chandigarh, Oct 22: Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MP Gurmeet Singh Meet Hayer lauded Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann on Tuesday for securing the Asian Champions Trophy 2026 for Punjab, marking the first time since Independence that Jalandhar’s Olympian Surjit Singh Hockey Stadium will host an international hockey tournament. Emphasizing the state’s legendary sporting roots—such as Sansarpur village yielding 14 international players and seven Olympic medals—Hayer urged sports enthusiasts and families across the state to turn out in large numbers to back Team India.
The tournament will see six prominent Asian nations—India, Malaysia, Japan, South Korea, China, and Bangladesh—competing across venues in Jalandhar and Mohali. Hayer noted that the event holds deep sentimental value as current national stars like Harmanpreet Singh, Manpreet Singh, and Mandeep Singh began their professional journeys on the very turf they will now play on before a home crowd.
